Edward
Edward *'Number': 2 *'Class': Furness Railway K2 *'Designer': William Frank Pettigrew *'Builder': Sharp, Stewart and Co. *'Built': 1896 *'Configuration': 4-4-0 *'Arrived on Sodor': circa 1915 Edward is a blue mixed-traffic engine. He runs his own branch line with BoCo. Edward is one of the oldest engines on Sodor and is occasionally made fun of for his old age. Edward is very wise and optimistic and spreads his knowledge and encouraging attitude towards the other engines. Bio in the Railway Series Edward was built by Sharp Stewart and Company in Glasgow, Scotland in 1896 and worked on the Furness Railway before coming to Sodor in 1915 to finish the building of the North Western Railway. After his work was completed, Edward was kept in a shed, to the delight of the other engines, who claimed that he was too old and weak to work. Edward was eventually let out again and proved that what he lacked in strength, he made up for in work ethic. Edward currently runs the Wellsworth-Brendam branch line with BoCo and occasionally Donald and Douglas. He is sometimes used as a pilot engine for special trains. Bio in the Television Series Edward has always been a kind and wise engine, though in some scenarios he has acted a bit out of character. For example, in Harvey to the Rescue, he claimed that Harvey "doesn't even look like an engine". In Thomas and the New Engine, he was one of the engines to spread rumours that Neville wanted to bump the steam engines. In Edward Strikes Out, he agreed with Gordon's element of doubt about Rocky and called him a "new-fangled nonsense". In Edward and the Mail, he did not want to embarrass himself in front of the other engines, so he tried to take the mail train without asking Percy, who was in need of repairs, for advice, in result of him delivering the mail to all the wrong places. In the twelfth season episode, Steady Eddie, he was given a task of taking the new water wheel to Great Waterton, but ignored the Fat Controller's advice to take the express track, and took all the bumpy tracks, and almost had the water wheel scrapped. In the thirteenth season, he wanted to help Thomas chase after the Fat Controller's grandchildrens' kite. Since then, Edward has tried to regain his usual self, which one day made Charlie think he was too old to have fun in Charlie and Eddie. Edward was upset about this so he tried to be as fun as Charlie, but this only caused even more trouble. Since then he has just stuck to being the wise and kind engine that he was of old. In the eighteenth season, he was still being teased by Gordon, who thought he was unreliable for breaking down frequently, but Edward claimed that he had not broken down in ages. When Gordon later got stuck on his hill, Edward came to push him. But when they reached the top of the hill, Gordon just carried on without saying "thank you". Edward complained about Gordon's ungratefulness to Thomas, who came up with a plan. Thomas challenged Gordon to a race across the island, but just as Gordon was about to catch up, Thomas pulled onto the same track which meant Gordon had no choice but to follow him. At Gordon's Hill, the two engines were going so slowly that Gordon had no choice but to stop and got stuck again. As Thomas carried on his way, Edward arrived. This time, it was Edward's turn to call Gordon unreliable for always getting stuck. Edward then began to carry on his way too, but Gordon begged him to help and promised to never called him unreliable again. So Edward forgave Gordon and gave him a push, and the big blue engine even said "thank you" once they had reached the top of the hill. In Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, he tells Thomas, who is being mended at the Steamworks, that Rocky had discovered The Pirate Ship in the cavern. Salty later tells him, Henry, and James about a "lost pirate". Persona Edward is kindhearted and always keen to help a friend in need. The small engines trust him to lend a listening ear and sympathetic advice. He is a hard worker too, and always does his best to finish a job. Sadly, the big engines often see Edward as old-fashioned and slow. While it is true he is the oldest engine on the North Western Railway - it must be noted he helped build it - he has proved time and time again that he is more than capable of working as hard as any engine, but he is a more clever and wiser engine, too. Since The Great Festival Adventure, Edward's persona changed slightly. Despite his reputation of being kind and friendly, Edward has acted cheeky. Edward also acted with a lack of confidence in himself in that he keeps secrets from the other engines and the Fat Controller, when he was once leaking steam and likewise when he was told to pull the post train whilst Percy was being repaired. Sometimes, Edward even shared the same personality as James, such as when he decided to show off his special waterwheel and laughed at Thomas when he was wearing a funny funnel. However, since the seventeenth season, Edward has been portrayed with his original personality. Basis The Reverend W. Awdry stated that Edward is based on a heavily modified Sharp, Stewart and Co. "Larger Seagull" K2 Class, supplied to the Furness Railway in 1896. Sodor "historian" Martin Clutterbuck notes that Edward bears a close resemblance to an LNER D3/4 "Glen" (NBR Reid Class K) 4-4-0 from the London and North Eastern Railway. At any rate, the Reverend W. Awdry used an engine of this class to represent Edward on his model railway. Visible Crovan's Gate Works modifications are: making the rear splasher flush with the cab, new cab windows as opposed to cutaways in his cab side sheets, and square cab lookouts as opposed to the original round ones. Livery Edward is painted NWR blue with the NWR red and yellow lining and the number "2" painted on his tender sides in bright yellow with a red border. In the Railway Series, he carries two builder's plates on the sides of his cab. It can be assumed that, before arriving on Sodor, Edward was painted in the Furness Railway's Indian Red livery with the letters "FR" written in yellow on his tender sides and black wheels. Inspiration The inspiration for Edward himself came from the Reverend W. Awdry's watching trains on the Great Western Railway as a child. He said in an interview with Brian Sibley for The Thomas the Tank Engine Man that, to him, the noise of the locomotives' exhaust almost sounded like dialogue - for example, the larger engine having trouble climbing the hills would appear to be saying, "I can't do it, I can't do it" and the smaller engine helping them would sound like it was saying, "I will do it! I will do it! I will do it!" Later, Reverend Awdry told his son a bedtime story about an engine who was sad because he was never taken out of the shed for being old. Upon being asked what the engine's name was by his son, the Reverend Awdry picked the name Edward out of thin air. Appearances Voice Actors * Keith Wickham (UK; Hero of the Rails onwards) * William Hope (US; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Yasuhiro Takato (Japan; first - eighth seasons) * Nozomu Sasaki (Japan; Calling All Engines! onwards) * Øyvind Borgemoen Lyse (Norway; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Herman López (Mexico; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Christos Topulos (Germany) * Wojciech Chorąży (Poland; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Fabrice Trojani (France and French speaking Canada) * Reinder van der Naalt (The Netherlands) * Celso Alves (Brazil; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Jordi Estupiña (Spain) * Anh Tuấn (Vietnam) Trivia * Edward was the very first character created for the Railway Series, in 1943. * In Saved from Scrap, it was revealed that Edward's driver was named Charlie. * Edward is the only engine whose crew has been named in the Railway Series. In the foreword of "Edward the Blue Engine" their names were given as Charlie Sand (driver) and Sidney Hever (fireman). Their surnames came from their duties (one of the driver's jobs is to sand the rails when they are slippery to let the engine's wheels grip, while the fireman "heaves" coal to the firebox); their Christian names came from an engine crew from the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway. * Two of Edward's models are currently on display; one at Drayton Manor and one in Japan at the Hara Railway Museum (previously on display at Nitrogen Studios). * Edward was not in any known draft of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. According to Phil Fehrle , there was not enough screen time and opportunity to utilise him in a way that added any real value to the film. * In Steady Eddie and Charlie and Eddie, Edward refers to himself as "Eddie". Charlie also refers to him by this name. "Eddie" also happens to be Edward's real name in the Greek narration. * In the television series, Edward went through numerous changes: ** Season 6: *** His safety valve had disappeared. ** Season 10: *** The riveting on his front bufferbeam had disappeared. *** His buffers were moved downward and widened in length at the edge of his bufferbeam. ** Hero of the Rails: *** His buffers became bigger and moved towards the centre of his bufferbeam. ** Season 17: *** He gained a permanent lamp and tail lamp. ** Season 18: *** His handrails were painted black. ** The Adventure Begins: *** His handrails were painted silver again. *** The inside of his tender became blue. * The 2014 re-design Trackmaster Edward incorrectly depicts him as a 2-6-0. Merchandise * ERTL (normal and Gold Rail; discontinued) * Wooden Railway (several versions) * Take Along (normal and metallic; discontinued) * My First Thomas (normal and talking) * Motor Road and Rail (normal and talking; discontinued outside Asia) * TrackMaster * Hornby * Bachmann * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued) * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued) * Mini Die Cast Collection (normal and with Santa hat; discontinued) * Departing Now (discontinued) * Thomas Town (discontinued) * Capsule Collection * Trading Cards * Tomica * Take-n-Play (normal and talking) * De Agostini (discontinued) * Brio (discontinued) * Pez * Mega Bloks (discontinued) * Diablock * Wind-up Trains (normal, shocked face, clear, and silver) * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued) * Collectible Railway * Departing Now * Boss (with Green Express Coach; discontinued) * Micro Rubber Engines * Push Along * Minis (Classic, Metallic, Robo, Chillin' and spooky) * Choro-Q * MV Sports (with Tidmouth Sheds; discontinued) Gallery File:TheReverend'sEdwardmodel.jpg|Awdry's model of Edward File:EdwardGordonandHenryillustration3RevWAwdry.jpg|Awdry's drawing of Edward and Gordon File:Edward'sDayOutWilliamMiddleton7.jpg|Edward illustrated by William Middleton File:EdwardandGordonRS8.PNG|Edward illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby File:SkarloeyRemembersRS1.jpg|Edward with Skarloey in the Railway Series File:ACloseShaveRS1.PNG|Edward with Duck as illustrated by John T. Kenney File:Edward'sExploitRS3.png File:EdwardAndTheCabbagesRS4.png|Edward missing a wheel File:GoldenJubileeRS3.png File:EdwardandGordon5.png File:TheSadStoryOfHenry55.png File:SavedFromScrap1.png File:SavedfromScrap35.png|Edward's whistle File:TheDeputation23.png File:Percy'sPromise23.png|Edward at Elsbridge File:Edward,TrevorandtheParty23.PNG File:FourLittleEngines11.png File:PaintPotsandQueens42.png|Edward clearing the line for the Royal Train File:JamesandtheTroublewithTrees16.png|Edward in the fifth season File:HappyEverAfter35.jpg File:ScaredyEngines10.jpg File:It'sOnlySnow52.PNG File:Edward'sBrassBand15.png File:Edward'sBrassBand12.png File:EdwardtheGreat70.png|Edward at the summer house File:EdwardtheGreat71.png File:CallingAllEngines!108.png File:CallingAllEngines!181.png|Edward the scarecrow File:SavingEdward27.png|Edward in the ninth season File:KeepingUpwithJames76.png File:EdwardStrikesOut70.png|Edward in the tenth season File:EdwardStrikesOut84.png|Edward with Rocky File:EdwardandtheMail56.png File:EdwardandtheMail65.png|Edward in the eleventh season File:TheGreatDiscovery174.png|Edward in The Great Discovery File:SteadyEddie6.png|Edward with a CGI face File:JamesWorksItOut30.png File:HeroOfTheRails15.png File:DoubleTrouble29.png|Edward in full CGI in the thirteenth season File:SlippySodor105.png File:MistyIslandRescue425.png File:CharlieandEddie8.png File:EdwardTheHero6.png File:Salty'sSurprise9.png File:BlueMountainMystery374.png File:KingoftheRailway280.png|Edward in King of the Railway File:SteamieStafford53.png|Edward in the seventeenth season File:NoSnowforThomas4.png File:TaleOfTheBrave554.png|Edward in Tale of the Brave File:OldReliableEdward4.png|Edward in the eighteenth season File:OldReliableEdward119.png File:TheAdventureBegins236.png|Edward in the Adventure Begins File:TheAdventureBegins330.png File:TheTruthAboutToby43.png|Edward in the nineteenth season File:Edward'sModelSpecification.PNG|Edward's model specifications File:Edwardwithnameboard.png|Edward with nameboard File:RareEdwardNameplate.jpg File:EdwardandtheOldCoaches.PNG|A promo shot of Edward File:EdwardwithJames'face.jpg|A rare promotional picture of Edward wearing James' face File:EdwardFront.jpeg|Head-on model promo File:Edward.jpg|Edward with his Driver File:FourLittleEngines19.png File:Edward,TrevorandtheReallyUsefulParty5.PNG|Note the grey engine front in the background is actually from Marklin. File:ThomasandEdwardpromo.jpg|A promo of Edward and Thomas File:EdwardtotheRescue!9.png File:EdwardSeason13promo.jpg|Promotional CGI image of Edward File:EdwardCGIpromo.png File:EdwardCGIPromo2.png File:Edwardhead-onpromo.png|Head-on promo File:EdwardandThomasCGIpromo.png|CGI promo of Edward with Thomas File:EdwardatTidmouthShedsCGIpromo.png File:EdwardKnapfordPromo.PNG File:EdwardattheSteamworkspromo.png|Edward at the Sodor Steamworks File:EdwardatTidmouthShedspromo.png|Edward at Tidmouth Sheds File:EdwardatDaisyHalt.png|Edward at Daisy Halt File:EdwardattheSeasidePostcard.JPG File:EdwardInteractiveLearningSegment.png|Edward in an interactive learning segment File:EdwardDraytonManor.jpg|Edward's model at Drayton Manor File:AnImportantVisitor6.png|Edward in a magazine story File:TheRunawaymagazinestory1.png File:TheReallyUsefulTractionEngine6.png|Edward in an annual story File:HenryandtheTunnel2.jpg File:Edward'sBasis.jpg|Edward's basis File:TheWorkshopsRailMuseumEdwardandJames.JPG|Edward and James at a Day Out with Thomas event File:DraytonManorEdward.jpg|Drayton Manor Edward in the sheds Merchandise Gallery File:ERTLStickerFaceEdward.jpg|Original ERTL File:ERTLEdward.jpg|ERTL File:ERTLEdward&TheOldCoaches.jpg|ERTL with Old Coaches File:ERTLminatureEdwardstickerfacekeyring.JPG|ERTL Keyring File:ERTLGoldRailEdward.jpg|ERTL Gold Rail File:HornbyEdward.png|Hornby File:BachmannEdward.jpg|Bachmann File:Take-AlongEdward.jpg|Take Along prototype File:Take-AlongEdwardmetallic.jpg|Metallic Take Along File:Take-n-PlayEdward.jpg|Take-n-Play File:Take-n-PlayEdward2013.png|Take-n-Play 2013 Edward File:Take-n-PlayEdward2015.jpg|Take-n-Play 2015 Edward File:Take-n-PlayTalkingEdward.jpg|Take-n-Play 2010 Talking Edward File:Take-n-PlayTalkingEdward2014.png|Take-n-Play 2014 Talking Edward File:LimitedEditionCollectionEdward.JPG|Limited Edition Collection File:CollectibleRailwayEdward.jpg|Collectible Railway File:WoodenRailwayEdward1992prototype.jpg|1992 Wooden Railway prototype File:WoodenRailway1996Edward.jpg|1996 Wooden Railway File:WoodenRailway1999Edward.jpg|1999 Wooden Railway File:WoodenRailwayEdward.jpg|2002 Wooden Railway File:WoodenRailway2013Edward.jpg|2013 Wooden Railway File:TalkingWoodenRailwaySeriesEdward.jpg|Talking Wooden Railway Series File:RollAndWhistleEdward.jpg|Wooden Railway Roll and Whistle File:BrioEdward.jpg|Brio File:TOMYEdward.jpg|Motor Road and Rail File:PlarailTalkingEdward.jpg|Motor Road and Rail Talking Edward File:TrackmasterEdward.jpg|TrackMaster File:2014TrackMasterEdward.png|2014 TrackMaster File:TrackMasterTalkingEdward.png|TrackMaster Talking Edward File:TOMYEdwardOriginal.jpg|TOMY (Original) File:MegaBloksEdward.png|Mega Bloks File:MyFirstThomasEdward.jpg|My First Thomas model File:NakayoshiEdward.jpg|Nakayoshi File:DeAgostiniEdward.jpg|De Agostini File:ChoroQEdward.jpg|Choro-Q File:Wind-upEdward.jpg|Wind-up File:WindUpSuprisedEdward.jpg|Wind-up surprised File:Wind-upClearMetallicSurprisedEdward.jpg|Wind-up Clear Metallic surprised File:Wind-upPartyEdward.jpg|Wind-up Party File:WindUpSilverEdward.jpg|Wind-up Silver Edward File:WindUpShinyEdward.jpg|Wind-up Shiny Edward File:PezThomasandEdward.jpg|PEZ Thomas and Edward File:2012TomicaEdward.jpg|Tomica File:TomicaEdward.PNG|Original Tomica File:BandaiTECEdward.jpg|Bandai TEC File:DepartingNowEdward.png|Departing Now File:DiablockEdward.jpg|Diablock File:Micro-RubberEdward.jpg|Micro Rubber File:PushAlongEdward.jpg|Push Along File:MinisClassicEdward.jpg|Minis (Classic) File:MinisMetallicEdward.jpg|Minis (Metallic) File:MinisRoboEdward.jpg|Minis (Robo) File:MinisChillin'Edward.jpg|Minis (Chillin') File:MyThomasStoryLibraryEdward.png|My Thomas Story Library book File:Edward2011StoryLibrarybook.jpg|2011 Story Library book File:MyThomasStoryLibaryEdwardJapaneseCover.jpg|Japanese Story Library Book File:EdwardTradingCard.png|Trading Card File:TheGreatDiscoveryEdwardcard.jpg See also * Category:Images of Edward Category:Tender engines Category:Steam locomotives Category:North Western Railway Category:4-4-0 Category:Edward's Branch Line